If Something Should Happen: rework
by imagination-running
Summary: Here is the promised reworked version. postwar and postHogwarts. Harry's going on a dangerous mission, but before he goes, he wants to extract a promise from his best friend. better than the last. one shot.


**If Something Should Happen**

**By: stu14688**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling does. Please don't sue.**

It had been seven years since the Trio graduated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry had been married Hermione at the age of nineteen, and at the age of twenty, they had had their first child Marion. Harry's family had grown to include the now two-year-old Nathan James Potter. Harry had a great job as the Defense teacher at Hogwarts. He also had the family that he had always longed for.

Harry's life had quieted quite a bit since his Hogwarts days. The media had finally quit badgering him to talk about the final battle. Harry had only told those closest to him about what had happened that night all those years ago, and he did not intend to tell anyone else. The few people who had witnessed the battle had also kept mum. For that, Harry was thankful.

Voldemort had been defeated at the end of Harry's seventh year, but unfortunately, many of the Dark Lord's followers had not been captured. Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucious Malfoy were still at large, and they had become the Order's main targets in the years following Voldemort's demise.

Harry was still a part of the Order, but was rarely assigned to anything very dangerous. It was not that he was afraid, but rather that everyone seemed to think that he had done enough fighting in his teenage years. However, despite this, when Mad-Eye Moody decided to form a team to go after Lestrange and Malfoy, Harry had been asked to join. He was not reluctant and only hesitated to seek out Hermione's opinion first. She had been afraid, but knew that not only was her husband needed on the team, but also that he needed to be there for his own reasons. It was with this state of mind, that Hermione gave her consent to Harry.

It was now two days before Harry left with a few key Order members to put an end to the last of Voldemort's followers. The day before, the Order had received a confirmation of the location of Lestrange and Malfoy's hideout. As soon as word was received, Mad-Eye had started developing a plan to find and destroy the duo. Harry had only a short time to get ready to depart. He knew that he had to speak to Ron, so he arranged that they meet for the afternoon. This was the reason that Harry was sitting in the Leaky Caldron waiting for his best friend of fourteen years.

Harry heard the door open, and looked to find a tall person with bright red hair stomping the snow from his shoes. Harry smiled and waved his arm to beckon Ron over to the table. "Ron! Over here, mate."

Ron looked to where Harry was sitting and grinned as he raised his hand in greeting. Ron finally quit stomping and made his way over to where Harry was sitting with a butterbeer in front of him. Ron noticed that his friend looked rather tired, and this worried him. He did not look in need of a nap, but rather as if he had not slept in a couple of days. Harry had not looked like that since he had killed Voldemort. This sign of insomnia immediately told Ron that something was up.

"Hey, Harry. You look a bit tired. Everything alright?"

Harry gave a soft laugh and a small grin before speaking. "You know me too well. Everything's fine for the moment. I'm just thinking about something. I've got something I need to tell you and ask of you, Ron."

Now Ron was worried. Harry did not ask anything of anybody. Well, he had once, but that was back in seventh year before Voldemort had attacked and Harry was thinking about the fight. Harry had asked Ron to keep an eye on Hermione if anything were to happen to him. Ron could remember the moment with the clarity of crystal.

**Flashback**

_"Ron?"_

_Ron looked up from where he was seated on the couch doing homework. He noticed that Harry was looking anxious, something that disturbed Ron deeply, but he tried not to let his own worry show when he addressed his best friend. "Yeah, Harry?"_

_Harry glanced at his friend for a moment, but soon his eyes found the floor. Ron did not know what to make of this action. However, he stayed quiet, knowing that Harry would speak when he was ready. "Ron, I need you to promise me something. You're not going to like it, but you have to promise me that you'll watch out for Hermione if anything happens to me. You don't have to marry her or anything, you've got Luna. Just be a friend, someone she can come to if she needs to talk. Promise me, Ron, that you'll be there if I can't be there."_

_Ron was horrified by the promise. Harry could not possibly think he will die in this thing, and besides, no one knew when the Final Battle would be. "Harry, I'm not going to promise that because I don't need to. You're going to win and live. You're going to marry Hermione, and together you'll have a dozen kids who'll all come and annoy Snape when they're old enough to come to Hogwarts. Quit thinking you're going to die, Harry, because you're going to live. You and me, we're going to be each other's best men. Not only that, but who knows when this battle will happen. It could be years…Listen, I heard some muggle woman telling her daughter one time that it doesn't do to borrow trouble. You keep that in mind Harry. It's good advice."_

_Harry looked up at Ron. It was then that Ron truly saw how exhausted Harry looked. He had known that the war was taking a heavy toll on the Boy-Who-Lived, but until that moment he never realized just how much it was taking. Harry had dark circles under his eyes, which, themselves, were a dull green and bloodshot. Harry also looked pale and painfully thin. The shadows cast by the flickering fire only made Harry's features look worse. He heard Harry sigh quietly before speaking. _

"_Ron, I'm not trying to 'borrow trouble,' but I know, as do you, that most likely this war will end this year. For Merlin's sake, Dumbledore's dead, Ron! The light side isn't much of a resistance without him. I mean, Mad-Eye's good, but not that good. By my next birthday, either I'll be dead, or Voldemort will. I just want you to promise me this. I'm not asking for anything but your word. There's no guarantee that I'll win, so please, Ron, promise me."_

_Ron shook his head. It was obvious that this meant a lot to Harry, and besides, Harry rarely asked for anything. Ron knew he could not deny Harry the assurance he needed. "Fine. I promise, but you know good and well that I would be there for Hermione without you making me swear to do so. You know I wouldn't leave her to deal with it on her own."_

_Harry looked like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He put his head in his hands. "I know you would have, Ron, but sometimes a person just has to hear something to get it in his mind. I just need to feel like I've taken care of her or something. I can't explain it, Ron. Just trust me on this. And thank you – for everything."_

_Ron watched with sad eyes as Harry had wearily gathered his things to go up to the dormitories, and just as he reached the stairs, Ron called out to him._

"_Harry."_

_Harry turned. "Yeah?"_

"_I just wanted to say that I know how you feel about wanting to feel as if you've done something to care for Hermione. I feel the same way towards my family, but especially towards Luna. Good-night, mate."_

_Harry smiled. " 'Night, Ron." _

**End of Flashback**

Ron had a sinking feeling that history was about to repeat itself. "What is it, Harry?"

Harry sighed and took a swig of his butterbeer. Finally, he looked Ron in the eye and spoke. "We know where The Stranger and Ferret Senior are. I'll be leaving in two days with the rest of the team to go after them."

Ron's mouth suddenly felt as if it had been filled with cotton. His throat was parched, and he was not sure if he could speak. He knew that "The Stranger" and "Ferret Senior" were Lestrange and Malfoy, and he knew that the Order had been searching for the duo for seven years. After a couple of silent minutes, he was able to form words again. "When did you find out where they are? I thought they were hidden?"

"We found out yesterday, and yes, they were hidden, just not very well."

Ron's mind was reeling. Harry could not go on this mission. He had Hermione, Marion, and Nathan to think about. He had his life to live. Voldemort had only been dead for seven years, why did Harry have to go back to the field so soon? "Why, Harry? Why are you going? Who else is on this team? Surely they can handle a couple strays. (Strays was code for any escaped Death Eaters.) You've got your family to think about Harry, and you're health. You know, you're four o'clock naps?"

Harry laughed lightly. "You're getting as bad as Molly and Hermione. They worry about me far too much. Missing a few naps won't kill me, Ron. And, you know why I have to go. Since Bumblebee (**A/N: "Dumbledore is the Old English word for bumblebee." 1)** and The Death Flight (**A/N: "Voldemort comes from the French words _vol de mort_, meaning 'fly from death.'" 2)** are both dead, I'm considered the most powerful wizard on the planet. Together, Stranger and Ferret are as bad, if not worse than D. F. The only thing that's been holding them back all these years is the stray captures. They've been afraid to breathe for the past seven years; much less wreak havoc on the world."

"So, there are other powerful people out there, Harry. It doesn't have to be you. If those two are powerful together, then others can be powerful together. You still haven't said who's on the team."

Harry shook his head and glanced around the pub with a suspicious look on his face. "I know I haven't, and I won't unless you come to me to a more secluded spot. We can talk more openly there, and I still have to ask you to do something for me."

Ron agreed to leave with Harry, so they paid the bill and walked out into the snow-filled street. It was just after New Years, and people were starting to get back to business as usual. Harry and Ron walked to the Shrieking Shack. It looked as old as ever, and people still avoided it like the plague. Once they walked in, Harry conjured a fire and some hot chocolate. The two friends sat down on the couch.

"Tonks, Remus, Mad-Eye, and Neville are also a part of the team. I know, Neville's not the best wizard in the world, but he has more of a right to be there when we catch those two monsters than I do."

Ron glanced around the room as he thought about what Harry had said. Nothing had changed since he had last been in it. That had been during his seventh year, during the Final Battle. It had been a makeshift headquarters for the DA and the Order during the months before and during that battle. Both groups had needed a place that was near the castle and the wizarding village, and one could get to both places from the shack. The rumors of it being haunted only helped because no one came near it. Ron could remember sitting at the table in the living room, drawing up strategies for battle. He had been the one that sent the DA out, and at times, he even directed the Order. He did that more after Dumbledore was killed in late February of his seventh year.

The real leader, though, had been Harry. He had all but moved into the shack their last year at Hogwarts. If he was not there for special lessons, he was giving special lessons there. People just naturally looked to him for leadership. Thinking back, Ron realized how hard it must have been on a seventeen-year-old to lead the entire light side, especially when his mentor was not there to help him. Even people like Remus and Mad-Eye had turned to Harry after Dumbledore's death.

Ron was brought back from his internal pensieve by Harry's voice. "A lot's changed, hasn't it? We're all married, some of us have children. It's amazing how good life can be…"

Ron turned to his friend. Ever since his fifth year, Harry had always seemed much older than he should be. He was only twenty-four, but Harry could easily pass for being in his mid to late thirties. This thought shocked Ron. He felt bad for all the youth that Harry missed. Between the Dursleys and Voldemort, he really never had a childhood, and now, Harry was being depended on again to save everyone at the risk of losing all that he had. Ron knew what Harry needed to ask. "You said you needed to ask me something, Harry. What is it?"

Harry sighed and looked at his lap. "I don't know if I'll come back from this mission, Ron. It's dangerous – very dangerous. What Stranger and Ferret are capable of…it's something I don't even what to try to comprehend. That's why I have to go. I'm one of the few wizards that they are afraid of, and I may be one of the only ones who can stop them. I need you to do something for me, if I don't come back-"

Ron, who rolled his eyes in an exasperated way as he started to speak, immediately interrupted Harry.

"Harry. We had this conversation in seventh year. You didn't die then. I don't see why you think you will now. Besides, you don't need me to promise something you know I'd do anyway."

Harry turned his face towards the fire. He spoke slowly in an almost monotone voice.

"Ron, you do to know that I need to hear it. I need to hear you say that you'll have Hermione and the kids over for dinner once in a while. I need to hear that you and Luna will take the kids and let Hermione visit her friends and family sometimes. I need to hear things that I know you'll do because I'm a guy, and I have to feel like I've done something – anything to make my family's lives better."

"I know you need to hear it. I told you the last time you made me make this promise that I understand how you feel, and I still do…If you're going to make me promise, then you might as well give me specific instructions. What do you want me to do for Marion and Nathan?"

Harry laughed. "Yeah, I got some special instructions for them, too…Let me see, Marion. Make sure that she doesn't have a boyfriend until she's at least thirty, and don't let her get married until she's forty. Don't forget to take her out on Saturdays. In the winter she likes to go get a mug of hot chocolate at a muggle coffee shop, and in the summer, she likes to get ice cream in Diagon Alley."

Ron laughed and shook his head. "Those are some rather particular instructions, mate, and I'm not sure, but I reckon that Hermione would not be too happy about the boyfriend and marriage thing. You know how she is on independence and equal rights."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. She definitely has to have her independence. Marion is only four, but that little bundle is just like her mother in that respect…"

Harry drifted off for a moment before turning back to his friend. Ron watched, and he knew that Harry's mind had drifted home to where his two children were undoubtedly giving Hermione a full blast of chaos. Ron wished he could do more than make a promise to Harry; he wanted to take Harry's place, but he enough to know that Harry would never allow such a thing. Ron just kept quiet.

Suddenly, Harry spoke again. He had apparently came out of his reverie. "Well, I guess you want to get your instructions for Nathan. The little prankster. He is forever doing something mischievous. He'll really need you there to keep him in line. He's a good kid really, just a bit too much like his grandfather from what I've heard. Not that I'm perfect, but Nathan is like Fred and George, doing things simply because he can and he finds it funny. Right now, he doesn't do much more than steal and 'hide' Marion's dolls, but I can see it."

Ron laughed some more. "Now that's a tall order, Harry. Keeping up with Nathan is next to impossible. I've seen that sneaky look in his eye. Anything else you want me to do with him other than stop him from driving Hermione into insanity?"

"Teach him how to play Quidditch. He says he wants to 'chase.' He really likes the big red quaffle; I guess 'cause it's red. He seems to be attracted to that color. Then, of course, there are always girls. If he's anything like me, then he'll need all the help he can get in that area.

"If something happens to me, Ron, just teach him about life. Share a butterbeer with him, and although I know you do, tell I said that he shouldn't drink anything stronger than that – ever. Tell him some stories about our Hogwarts days. Admonish him when he needs it, and praise him when he deserves it.

"You've got Sam, I know, and I would never ask you to forfeit your time with him, the coming baby, or Luna, but please, Ron, just promise that you'll be a trusted adult to Marion and Nathan if it comes to it. It'd mean a lot to Hermione and me."

"Harry, you know I'd never leave your kids to deal with things on their own. If something happens to you – which I'm sure it won't – then you can be certain that they and Hermione will always have Luna and me to help. Not to mention the fact that everyone else in the Order and beyond would be more than willing to do what they could to help."

"I know that no one would abandon my family, but you're mine and Hermione's best friend. The kids know that. I just wanted to have your promise, not that I don't trust you, just so I have the added assurance."

"There's no hard feelings, mate. You've got my word. I'll be there. Now, you better get back home before Hermione has a hippogriff. You know how worried she gets."

Harry laughed as the two friends stood up. Harry held out his hand to shake Ron's, but was surprised when Ron pulled him into a fierce, but masculine hug. Harry hugged back and listened to Ron speak. "You gotta come back, mate. There's no one else that I can be certain that I'll beat at Wizard's Chess. Not to mention that we've been best friends since we was eleven…I'll be thinking about ya."

Harry and Ron pulled apart. Harry looked at Ron. "Thanks for all you do for me, Ron. Fourteen years of being the Boy-Who-Lived's best friend isn't an easy job. I hope I come back to force you into the role again. Take care."

"You to, Harry. You too."

* * *

Harry left two days later, and was gone for three months. Hermione was worried constantly, but Ron kept his promise. Once a week, Hermione gathered up the children and they went to Ron's house to have dinner with his family.

For the entire time that Harry was on the mission, no one heard from the team that had gone to find Lucious and Bellatrix. Everyone was worried. It was early April, and Minerva had called an Order meeting. Everyone came, and had just sat down, when they heard a loud pop and an even bigger crash come from the drawing room. It had woken Nathan, Sam, and Annie (the newest to Ron's family) who had just laid down for a nap. Arthur, Ron, Fred, and George cautiously went to investigate. The first thing they noticed was the two bound unconscious bodies lying haphazardly in the middle of the room. Ron eyes flashed when he recognized the bodies.

"Malfoy. Lestrange." Ron voice was low and harsh, but his father and brothers heard him perfectly.

Remus was the first Order member that anyone else saw. He looked tired and haggard, but he was alive. Ron saw more movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Tonks. She did not look any better than Remus. Her hair stuck out all over the place, and her robes were torn and burnt through in places. Tonks leaned down to help Mad-Eye up whose nose and left arm were bleeding profusely. Ron was growing frantic. Everyone was there except Neville and Harry.

Just then, the door opened and Hermione came bounding through holding Nathan in her arms. She looked wide-eyed at the people who had showed up in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place. Ron saw as her face grew pale when she could not find her husband. Ginny had followed with Sam clutched to her chest, and was also having a hard time keeping her composure. She and Neville had been married for three years. No one said anything after the girls arrived. Hermione finally spoke. "Where's Harry an-and Neville? R-Remus, wh-where's my husband?"

Remus' eyes bugged out and he searched the room trying to find a sign of the two young men. It was obvious that he thought they had arrived with everyone else. Ron noticed that he started shaking as he sat down on the floor – as if his legs just gave out. "Oh no."

Now Ron was very worried. "Remus, what do you mean by 'Oh no?' Nothing good follows those words. What happened to Neville and Harry?"

Remus looked pleading and distraught. "They were there. They were supposed to apparate here. Tonks, they were with us, weren't they? I could've sworn they were right there when I portkeyed here with Lestrange and Malfoy. Oh no, they couldn't have…"

Hermione was in near hysterics. Ron went and sat beside her on the couch, just as his mother came in the room from putting Annie back to sleep. Ron took Nathan from Hermione's shaking arms as she spoke. "They couldn't have what, Remus? What couldn't they have done? Somebody tell me something."

Tonks looked over to Remus. "I'm going back, Remus. If that cave collapsed, then they might be trapped, and need help. Are you coming with me? Lucious and Bellatrix aren't going anywhere."

Remus stood up, still shaking and pale, but determined not to fail Harry and Neville. Ginny and Hermione were in tears. They had no idea what cave Tonks was talking about, but the fact that it may have collapsed on their husbands was enough to shake them to the core. Both wanted to go, but between Ron, Molly, and Minerva, they got the girls to stay.

Remus and Tonks went to the apparition site of the room and prepared to leave, when out of nowhere, a heap landed in the floor in front of them. After some struggling, a person stood and pulled up another person. It was Harry and Neville.

Harry had lost his glasses somewhere, and looked like he had been in the middle of a blasting site during a blasting. Neville looked just as bad. Both men were beaten and bruised. They were bleeding from a variety of cuts, and Neville's left arm was stuck out as a grotesque angle, obviously broken. Harry was pale and thin. He was holding Neville up with his left arm, but his right arm was clutching his ribs, and he seemed to be having trouble breathing.

Ginny and Hermione ran over to their husbands and pulled them into enormous hugs. Harry groaned and gasped painfully, which caused Hermione to pull away immediately. "Oh Harry, I'm sorry. I was so worried. I thought I'd lost you. Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

Harry grimaced in pain, but quickly smiled at Hermione. "Shh. I'm okay, nothing to worry about. Just a few broken ribs and some cuts and bruises. I've had worse, as you can attest to."

She led him over to the couch where she had left Ron, Sam, and Nathan just moments before. The entire room was in a frenzied state with Harry and Neville's arrival. Everyone was running everywhere. Mad-Eye and Arthur had taken the captives to the Ministry for questioning and sentencing. Madame Pomfrey had arrived as well as a trainee medi-witch, both of whom were helping Neville, Tonks, and Remus at the moment.

Ron was still trying to keep Nathan from running to his father, which was proving to be an impossible task. Within seconds of Harry getting to the couch, Nathan had escaped Ron's strong arms and had literally jumped onto Harry's chest. This had sent Harry into a coughing fit, a painful coughing fit. Hermione had quickly taken her son off his father, and handed him to Molly. At the sound of Harry's wheezing, Madame Pomfrey quickly shuffled her way to the Boy Who Lived. "Oh dear, Mr. Potter. It seems that you have a few broken ribs."

"Great-observation-Poppy. I-couldn't-tell." Harry was gasping for breath between every word.

The nurse gave him a piercing glare. "You shouldn't be speaking, Potter. After all the time you spent in the hospital wing, I would think you would know that. Now hold still, and let me fix those ribs."

Though still gasping for air, Harry remained still. Madame Pomfrey waved her wand and uttered a few incantations before leaving the room to find some healing potions. Harry's breathing eased up after Poppy performed the spell to heal his broken bones. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and looked at Harry who was lying on the couch with his eyes closed.

Moments later, Madame Pomfrey came back into the room and handed each of the team members a vial or two of potion admonishing them to stay at Headquarters for the night so that she could keep a better eye on them. Remus and Tonks gathered their cloaks and potions and went up the stairs to find rooms for the night. Ginny helped Neville stand and together they found a place to bed for the night also.

Hermione leaned over the couch to help Harry stand when Ron appeared at her side. "Here, let me help. You go gather Nathan and Marion's things and take them to Luna. They can stay with us tonight. You and Harry stay here. That way Harry can get a decent night's sleep and Madame Pomfrey can do her job."

Hermione hugged her best friend. "Thanks Ron. I don't know if I've told you lately, but you're a great friend. I don't know what to do _with _you, but I certainly don't know what I'd do without you. I'll come get the kids tomorrow."

Ron smiled. "Same to you, Herm-oh-ninny." Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron just chuckled softly. "Go on. You get the kids and their things, and I'll take Mr. I-Think-I'm-Invincible upstairs."

Hermione smiled. "Okay. Thanks again, Ron."

She walked out of the door, and Ron put an arm around Harry's shoulders to help him to his feet. Harry groaned slightly and helped push himself off the couch. Ron started laughing quietly when he saw Harry squinting trying to see what was in front of him. "Ron, what are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at you, you blind bat. Come on mate. We got to get you to a bed before we have Madame Pomfrey, Mum, and Hermione on our cases for you still being awake and moving around."

Harry laughed exhaustedly. "Yeah, those bunch of worry warts. I probably won't leave the bed for a week with those three on duty."

Ron nodded in agreement, as they entered a bedroom. Ron helped Harry out of his dirty robes and into some pajamas. He could not help but notice that Harry had once again managed to lose some weight during the excursion. He thought of just how close he might have been to losing his best friend, and it scared him. He still had no idea of the details behind the mission, but he knew that they had all barely escaped with their lives. He wanted to question Harry about it, but Harry had already gotten under the covers and was sleeping. He did not wake Harry.

Ron turned and walked over to the door. Just as he got to the frame, he looked back at Harry. The moonlight cast an eerie white glow on his already pale friend, giving Harry a ghost-like appearance. Ron suppressed a shudder at the thought. Reaching for the doorknob, he whispered, "Good to have you back, mate."

Ron closed the door and made his way back to where the other Order members had gathered to say good-bye. He gathered Nathan, Sam, and the belongings of the Potter children from Hermione. She expressed her thanks once again, and once again, Ron was thankful that he had not needed to act on his promise. Harry was alive.

* * *

**A/N: I was inspired to write this fic after I heard the song "If Something Should Happen" by Darryl Worley. I didn't write it as a song-fic because the story in the song didn't fit the story here. Although, I liked the idea behind the story, and it's the idea that I used. Anyway, I hope that you liked it. Please review. Take care! **

**Okay, I got a couple of references also.**

**1._ The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter _by David Colbert. Copyright date: 2004. Updated version to include Harry's fifth year. Paperback edition. This quote is found in the side bar on page 80.**

**2. This quote is from the same book as above. The quote is found on page 249 in the side bar.**

**See ya next time 'round. ; ) **


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